Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Former Deputy Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Dr Cosmos Ndukwe, has commended President Ahmed Tinubu over his choice of members of the Board of Directors, South East Development Commission, SEDC.
The former presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in 2023, in a press statement, Monday, described the nominees as “square pegs in square hole.”
This is as he expressed optimism that the Commission, when eventually inaugurated, would help bridge infrastructural deficit in the South-East states.
Ikengaonline had reported that President Tinubu, last week, transmitted to the Senate for confirmation, a reviewed list of nominees for membership of the Board.
According to the list published on the X handle of the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Dayo Onanuga, former Minister for Labour and Productivity, Chief Emeka Wogu is shortlisted as Chairman of the Board.
Others include: Mark Okoye (Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer); former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Toby Okechukwu (Executive Director of Projects); former Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Hon. Stanley Ohajuruka (Executive Director of Finance); among others.
Ndukwe said the resume of the nominees signalled the President’s determination to change the narrative in the South-East.
The former Commissioner for Works Abia State, who recently joined the All Progressives Congress, APC, said that the nominees would leverage on their experiences and deliver the President’s vision for the South-East.
He predicted an end to complaints of marginalisation by people of the South-East as the Commission would help fast-track development in the zone.
The statement read in part: “I have no iota of doubts that with the quality of members of the SEDC board, the President’s vision for South-East development will be realised. They will use their wealth of experience and expertise to actualise the Commission’s mandate.
“We now have a Commission that will address the issues of marginalisation and infrastructural dilapidation in South-East. President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has engraved himself on the minds of our people by signing the SEDC Act into law which his predecessors could not do.”
Dr Ndukwe commended the Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, for sponsoring the SEDC Bill, describing him as “a proactive and visionary leader.”
“The Deputy Speaker has demonstrated capacity and visionary leadership by sponsoring the SEDC BILL and following it up until it became a success story.”
He said that South-East people would always appreciate the efforts of the Deputy Speaker House of Representatives to attract federal attention to the zone.
Ndukwe solicited the support of the zone for the Deputy Speaker to enable him to do more for the zone, describing him as “a focused and pragmatic Leader.”
